Dining area
"Tuesday morning everyone should be present in Chauhan foundation. There will be a function in which scholarships will be announced for our employees' children." Virender told his family while eating breakfast
"Ji" Bhavna fills juice in the glass and gives him.
"Dad, let's announce the inauguration date of our new hotel also." Ankit suggested his father.
"Yes of course" Virender liked the idea.
Arjun kept silence and stares at Taarini who is feeding Anmol with her hand. He feels like she is in another world. Maybe she is thinking about something deeply. He wonders why she is behaving so lost recently.
"Arjun, when are you going to drop Ahana?" Virender asked him
"Tomorrow morning dad" Arjun replied
Arjun looks at his wife. She is in her own thoughts.
Virender started talking about business and politics. Arjun and Ankit responded to him timely.
**********
Weekends are reserved for Ahana.
Arjun loves spending time with his daughter. Being an over protective parent, it was really difficult for him to separate himself from his child. He lived in a constant fear of losing his daughter.
Ahana's mother, Swetha was his college sweetheart. They rushed into marriage without the knowledge of his family. When his father was not ready to accept swetha, he left home and lived with his wife in another apartment. Time tested their love. Swetha forced him to claim his power over Chauhan business. She manipulated him and made him believe that her life is under threat because of his father. He broke all ties with his family except his mother. Those days, his mother used to visit him and urge him to patch up with his father. But he didn't budge from his decision. In fact he even missed his grandmother's last rites. Arjun became a puppet and trusted her with his money and power. In fact he transferred a huge amount of assets to her name. She became a shareholder of Chauhan enterprises. She gave a controversial interview in the media and made statements against Chauhans mistreating her. That gave a chance for the political rivals to tarnish his father's image. Arjun didn't like her making public statements. They had their first fight on that day. Swetha took advantage of his love and apologised to him. Her tearful act moved him again. He forgave her. She became pregnant and gave birth to Ahana. After Ahana's birth, he started another company and became busy in building an empire for his family. Unknown to him, swetha started getting close to their college friend Naren who was also involved with someone else. She often met naren without Arjun's knowledge. Once Arjun caught her making out with Naren at a bar. It was Arjun's best friend Raghav who made him aware of her illicit relationship with Naren. Swetha alleged that Naren drugged her into all that and she was not in her senses. He ignored every single red flags like a fool just for the sake of his little girl Ahana and reconciled with her. Swetha then started using Ahana like a shield. She didn't mend her ways and continued sexual relationship with Naren. Once Arjun was summoned by the police in connection to a case. An IPS officer's daughter tried to commit suicide and was in a serious state. She was naren's long term girlfriend paridhi. Naren was accused of abetment to suicide and the police got few evidence from his phone. Paridhi's diary also revealed about naren's relationship with swetha and the constant fights the couple had with each other because of his infidelity. Arjun was heartbroken after seeing the evidence put forth by the police such as recent video clips of swetha and naren enjoying their time together in which mostly the duo were naked. Also the dirty text messages of swetha sending nudes to naren and informing him about Arjun's work schedule were also given by the police. Since it was a high profile case, swetha's name didn't appear initially. Also the chauhans pressurised the media to omit her name from the report as swetha was then legally married to Arjun.
Swetha's betrayal crushed Arjun's soul. He lost trust in love and tears. His family accepted him back into their lives and stood firm with him. He apologised for his past actions and vowed to never let down his family. Even during the divorce, he had to go through a lot of public scrutiny. She blamed him for extra marital affairs with other women and confessed that her relationship with naren kept her sane amidst the abuses from Arjun.
Arjun witnessed the true colours of swetha during those times. Her act of innocence was merely a facade. Nobody except his family believed him. She successfully played the victim card and made baseless allegations against him. But he kept quiet for the future of his child and accepted her demands including the huge alimony. Very few people in his family knew about swetha's betrayal. He could have easily destroyed her dignity in public but he avoided it.
Taarini came to his life suddenly like an unexpected gift. He was struggling to move on from the not-so-old wounds. Ahana was just four at that time. Initially he doubted Tara's intentions and tried to find fault in her actions. Even today, he couldn't help but compare Tara to Swetha. He has massive trust issues because of his past experience.
**********
Arjun ate the dinner in silence.
He spent his entire day with Ahana in his farmhouse which is just 12km away from their home. Ahana was asleep when they came back.
"Arjun" His mother calls him lovingly
He looks at her with a smile.
"What are you thinking?" Bhavna asks him
"Nothing mumma. Where is Tarini? Did she eat dinner?"
Bhavna smiles hearing him
"Yeah. She ate early tonight. Hmm..Arjun, did you guys fight over something?"
"No mumma" Arjun quickly responded
"I was just asking beta. Tara appeared slightly gloomy."
Arjun also recalled Tara's recent behaviour.
"Arjun"
"Hmm"
" I think Tara is missing her siblings. Maybe she needs to visit them. A change is always needed. "
Arjun didn't respond to her.
"Arjun"
"Did she told you that?"
"Arey, I have also gone through this phase beta. It's been months since she met them."
"I'll make arrangements for that mumma. I'll call Mayank and asks him to come here and .."
Bhavna stops him before he could complete his sentence...
"Arjun, stop behaving like your father. You have become a control freak." She chides him and continues "Don't ruin your life. Let her breathe peacefully."
"Mumma"
"I don't want to hear anything Arjun. No matter what, every woman craves and yearns to go to her maika as often as possible. Meeting family and friends will make her feel the happiest. For god's sake, let her go and meet them."
Bhavna walks away from there angrily.
*******
Arjun covers his daughter with the duvet and kiss her forehead.
He looks at the clock and sighs.
Closing his eyes, he recalls the beautiful face of his wife. Turning to her side which is empty, he takes her pillow and hugs it close to his chest.
He tries to keep hold of himself.
"Tara!!" He smiles closing his eyes.
Thank you❤️
